the ocean

Ian has been in Ireland for work for the past week, leaving me with sole responsibility for the care and feeding of one very high maintenance beagle, as well as our palatial estate. It has been interesting. Aubrey actually seems to be trying to help in some respects, such as actually eating her breakfast during the morning hours, rather than staring at it with disdain until roughly 3 PM. She has not been super helpful on her bathroom schedule, however, leading to far too many incidents of me saying "potty" six dozen times in a variety of different tones over the course of ten minutes. The house has not shown any interest in being helpful, and has continued to toss off items for the good old to-do list on the reg. It has not burned down, however, and I'll give it credit for that.

As the person who is generally the one traveling for work, I do have to recognize that being the one left behind at home is in some respects far preferable. I don't have to sleep in a tiny, hard European bread or eat cold breakfast every morning. And I get to keep my normal schedule. But this has given me a good perspective on what Ian faced when I was, for instance, sent to China for three weeks straight or Texas for five. Within the same four-month period. As he said back then, "It's starting to feel a little bit like this is just normal and you were never here." So here's to being here, or there, depending on how you look at it. And here's to the Hard Rock Cafe Dublin merchandise I feel confident Ian will be bringing when he returns.